The program’s main objective is to invite and train native English teachers and overseas Koreans to teach practical English in after-school classes at the rural elementary school.
Participants of the program, known as TaLK scholars, are given the opportunity for personal and professional enrichment through the duties & responsibilities set forth by the Korean Government. As English instructors, TaLK scholars will create original lesson plans for varying grade levels (i.e., first through sixth), and teach in the classroom with a Korean university student. As explorers fulfilling the “learning” part of the program’s mission, TaLK scholars are encouraged to travel around Korea to learn about the history, culture, language and people.
TaLK scholars receive an array of benefits which include, but are not limited to: a round-trip, economy class air ticket, accommodation, traveler’s health insurance, monthly stipend of KRW 1.5 million, a one-time settlement allowance and cultural trips arranged by the provincial offices of education.
The program, which began in April 2008 under the direction of South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak, is designed to support public English education in the rural areas of Korea, where the opportunity to meet a native English speaker is rare and educational resources are limited.
Under the guidance of the National Institute for International Education (NIIED) and the sponsorship of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), the TaLK Program has awarded government scholarships to over 1,800 participants within the past three years.
Currently, TaLK is preparing positions for 600 scholars for the upcoming school semester (August). Successful applicants will join the program’s seventh group of international participants, or TaLK’s 7th Generation.
